The present invention relates to rechargeable storage batteries. More specifically, the present invention relates to a jump-start booster pack with storage capacitors for use with such storage batteries.
Rechargeable storage batteries, such as lead acid storage batteries are employed in automobiles. These rechargeable vehicle batteries provide cranking power to start the vehicle and are also the only source of power to continue to maintain the lights or other devices in operation when the vehicle ignition has been turned off. Circumstances may occur that cause the vehicle battery charge to deplete so that the battery is incapable of starting the vehicle. Such conditions normally arise due to the fact that the operator of the vehicle has inadvertently left the lights, radio, or other energy consuming device or accessory running in the vehicle after the vehicle ignition has been turned off. Such a depleted or “dead” battery is incapable of providing the necessary cranking power to start the vehicle. Frequently, a jump-start booster pack is used to provide cranking energy to start the vehicle under these conditions. A jump-start booster pack typically includes an internal booster battery of about the same terminal voltage as the vehicle battery. Such a booster battery usually has a relatively high capacity and provides substantially all of the cranking power necessary to start a vehicle with a depleted battery. However, since the cranking operation continues for a very short period of time (a few seconds), employing such a relatively high capacity booster battery in the jump-start booster pack results in an unnecessary increase in cost and complexity of the booster pack.